


Controversy in the Kitchen

by Merfilly



Category: Golden Girls
Genre: Gen, Social Justice
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-17
Updated: 2013-08-17
Packaged: 2017-12-23 19:16:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 581
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/930114
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merfilly/pseuds/Merfilly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In light of the Voting Rights Act decision, the girls have a discussion</p>
            </blockquote>





	Controversy in the Kitchen

**Author's Note:**

> Dear readers, I brought our beloved show up in time a bit, to use a contemporary event. I pray this does not detract from the experience.
> 
> Also written for female_fest2013

It was a decadently rich turtle cheesecake, laden with caramel and chocolate, covered with inviting tidbits of southern pecans. It sat on the table between three women, a cozy kitchen the surrounding for them all.

"It's been a day, hasn't it?" Blanche sighed heavily as she said it, fiddling with her fork beside the waiting plate.

Rose let out a long, flustered breath before shaking her hands out. "A Tuesday," she replied, which made Blanche look at Dorothy who rolled her eyes upwards.

"I am sorry I called you an antebellum relic, Blanche," Dorothy said, disdaining to tackle Rose's slant on things. 

"No, no, you were right." Blanche looked at the cheesecake, even as Rose fidgeted in her chair. "I think I've been aware that my southern charm and beauty always had come at a cost, but… I grew up well, and sheltered from all the unpleasantry."

"It's not just unpleasantry, Blanche." Dorothy took on her scowling-teacher face as she felt her anger rising again. "These are real people with real lives who will be pushed back, again, to a life worse than Ma knew in Sicily!"

Blanche sighed and then picked up the knife to cut the cheesecake. "People will do the right thing; it's a new century, girls!"

"Several states have called sessions specifically to make use of this already, Blanche," Dorothy told her, and the knife went down. "I want you to admit that things aren't as all peachy as you think they should be."

With the knife down, Blanche looked at Dorothy. "What can I do? Apologize for being born where I was? Who I was? It's empty words, Dorothy, and you know it!"

"I think we should do like in St. Olaf, and only let the cows vote," Rose interjected, defusing the hostility rising again. "I mean, they actually only focus on the real things, like eating and drinking and milking and breeding," Rose continued blithely. "As long as they got all that taken care of, the details all fell into place."

Dorothy started to take umbrage, but then her expression softened. "If only it were that easy for us human beings, Rose." She then looked at Blanche as she pushed away from the table. "I have to go down to City Hall, see what people are thinking and talking about. Because I won't let my fellow Americans fall prey to bad court decisions! We can't apologize for being born as we are. You're right on that, Blanche."

"I am?" the southern belle of the group said, surprised at how civil Dorothy was managing to be, given how sharp their discussion of the news had already been.

"Yes. But we can go listen to the ones affected, and be ready to help them, on their terms!" she declared, standing up. She paused only as she got to the door, looking at her two friends… and the cheesecake was left alone in the cozy kitchen, three women united in a goal sweeping out.

A few minutes passed, and Ma made her way in to find the cheesecake all by itself, despite the plates and silverware. "What, did they leave you here in their hurry to be part of history?" Ma demanded of the cheesecake. It merely glinted a tempting piece of chocolate at her, keeping its secrets. "Well, they'll learn. The more things change, the worse it can get," Ma said to the empty air. "But somehow… sometimes we manage to do right on the small scale."


End file.
